talk302

After work yesterday, I went to visit Larry Wan at Rancho Palos Verdes (an exclusive neighbourhood of Los Angeles). On the way from airport to his home, I kept asking my brother in-law Ben, who lives in LA, if he can drive faster. After all, I have not seen Larry for almost 40 years, and we used to ride the same bus to Pui Ching. Wow, what a beautiful home, sitting at the edge of a hill overlooking the city of LA with million lights twinkling. Wow, what a young, trim looking Larry! I think he should write a book about how to look young and share his secrets with his classmates. I observed a few and will share with you here.

        Since I have to return to San Francisco Bay Area 6AM the next day (today), we went to a near by Chinese restaurant, I wolfed down the food and returned to his home (his wife and son was away). Larry ordered the food, and I noticed there was NO red meat, the first secret. We had tiger prawn, fish, chicken, and broccoli, and Larry sampled a little of each dish. Second secret: eat lightly and slowly. I believe Larry weighted as much as his high school days. Then he shared another secret of life with me about how he bought his 400 Mhz Pentium II machine: "Induce your wife to ask you to do the things you would like to do, that makes a happy marriage." She actually suggested Larry to buy the 400Mhz Pentium II replacing his 90Mhz one! I belong to the "wife is always right" club, now I know how juvenile, and amateurish I am. Then he advised me not to interfere with my kids' dating habits, it does not work and creates frictions (he printed his webpage submission "Asian Kids" for me. See Pui Ching website). How his son chose Columbia instead of Berkeley, and etc. Hey, if I keep on going, I will be the one writing his book.

        Then we went over the yearbook, which I stupidly gave away when I left Hong Kong. He elaborated each photo. They brought back many, many warm, fond memories. Many of male classmates are handsome, and the female classmates are truly beautiful. I am happy to know many of them are doing very well, and sad to hear some of them have left us. We kept talking like two high school kids, as if the clock has turned back 40   years (Look at Larry, you think it is 40 years ago).

        Then we went to his photo studio. Ben said this puts many professional photo studio in Monterey Park (little Taipei) to shame. Since I did not know how to induce my wife to ask me to buy things I want, I lovingly fondled his Leica, ogled his Hasselbald, and Rolleiflex. I WAS an amateur photographer before I was married. Finally he showed us the 400Mhz Pentium II, on which he writes jokes, emails, checks the status at the hospital (if 5 expecting mothers and only 3 children, two are still coming. He should get ready. Larry is an anesthesiologist.), scans and touches up his photos. He showed me pictures of several ladies who asked Larry to do the photos. He also showed me two instruction books on PhotoShop each about three inches think. He told me how darkroom magic makes one look younger. Now ladies, if you wish... ... .

        Time flied, we left shortly after 10PM, with him loaning me the year book and two anniversary books. Did not even have a chance look out the windows to enjoy the "million dollar" views. Anyway, I am very happy to meet Larry after a 40 year hiatus, knowing he is healthy, doing well, humorous, and feeling good about life. I know Internet is not secure, therefore I have an obligation to say that if anyone reads this and has other ideas, his house has a good security system.

        Larry's father in-law is very sick. Please pray for him.
       Last but not the least, thanks, Larry. Come to visit us soon (he promised me he would).

Visiting Larry Wan